Odontocidium Tiger Crow 'Golden Girl' with leaves turning yellow

[Niki]

Hi,

I've just gotten into orchids and have two Phalaenopsis that I've been able to get to rebloom without any trouble.

I just purchased a Odontocidium Tiger Crow 'Golden Girl' that was near the end of it's bloom. The orchid person at the place I purchased it told me to wait one month after the blooms dried out before beginning to fertilize, so the first time I'll fertizlize it will be next weekend.

I noticed some black spots on the leaves and read that this indicates that the plant is receiving too much sunlight, so I moved it back from the windows (it still get light, it's just now not directly in the light) several weeks ago.

I also noticed that the puedo blubs were shriveled, which I read means that it's not getting enough water. That website recc. that I allow the pot to sit in a litte bit of water. For the last two waterings, I watered the plant and let the base sit in about 1/4 inch water for two days and then drained the water away.

The brand new psuedo bulb that's coming up looks great, with no shrivels.

Then, somepoint during all of this moving of the plant and watering changes, I noticed that the leaves on the smaller psuedo blubs have started turning yellow, which concerns me. (note that the leaves on the new psuedo blub look great, as do the leaves on the large psuedo blub)

So, am I watering it too much? Is it not getting enough light? (Should I move it again)? Any suggestions?

Lastly, my cat somehow got into the bathroom (where I keep my orchids to insure high humidity) and ate the tips of a few leaves. The ones she ate off of have all turned yellow and died, but I assumed this was due to her munching on them. But now one of the non-munched on leaves is having the same problem, I worry that prehaps the dying of the other leaves may not have been due to her.

Any suggestions and/or advice?

Also, what kind of fertilizer would you recc. for this orchid?

Thank you so much!!

Niki

[Ray]

The loss of leaves on the older pseudobulbs is not a great concern by itself. That is pretty typical of any sympodial plant. I would not let the plant stand in water, though, depending upon the medium it's in.

Odontocidiums have relatively fine roots (especially compared to the phals), and they can suffocate easily if the medium kept saturated, which allows the little air pockets between the particles of the medium to fill with water and stop the air flow. Keeping it evenly moist, but not soggy is what you should seek.

[Niki]

Thank you!

I will make sure not to let it sit in water (I guess I shouldn't have listened to that other orchid website) and to keep it moist, but well drained (like I do with my other two).

Will the older psudeo blubs grow new leaves, or do psuedo blubs die?

Also, any advice as to the best fertilizer to use? And I've read that only distilled or reserve osmosis water should be used. Is this true, or do any of you use filtered water?

Thanks again!

niki

[quiltergal]

Hi Niki. Older Pbulbs will not grow new leaves. Eventually they will shrivel up and die. The plant will utilize every last drop of nutrition from them first so don't cut them off.

I only use distilled water for a few of my really picky orchids. The rest get tap water including all my Onc. alliance plants. They don't seem to mind at all. Of course tap water varies wildy from city to city, so I guess it just depends on how bad yours is. Don't use water that has been softened. Water softeners add salts to the water. Very bad for chids.

[Niki]

I really don't know much about these orchids. Having said that, does this mean that once a bulb starts losing it's leaves, it will never put out new growth and will never flower again. Or, is it standard for the orchid to lose leaves off the psuedo blubs and then grow new leaves off some of them that aren't so old, while others could dry up and die?

When I purchased this orchid, there were blooms off only one of the puedo blubs (the really large one) but the smaller ones had leaves but no bulbs. (There were three when I purchased). the second largest bulb (about 1/4 the size of the main blub) has leaves that are starting to turn yellow and die. The main bulb has many leaves still green, and one leave that has turned yellow and died.

The smallest bulb (that was there when I purchased) now has no leaves because my cat ate the only leave it had.

There is a fourth blub that just started coming up and it has lots of leaves on it.

I'm just curious what to expect. What is the life of a normal psuedo blub? Do they have to grow new ones between each flowering?

Also, we don't have softened water and our city supposively purifies the water some, so I'm been told that we have good water here. Glad to know it shouldn't be a problem for my orchid. I eventually will get a reserve osmosis system for our kitchen, so once I have that, I'll use it to water. I just wanted to know if I should be buying special water for the plant, so thanks for the info!

Thank you all again so much for all your replies. I am learning so much! (And I'm also feeling relieved that my orchid isn't dying)

Niki

[quiltergal]

You will only get one set of leaves and one maybe two at most spikes per bulb. Once it has bloomed it will have to grow a new bulb to bloom again. After the plant gets pretty large it may start sending out more than one new growth at a time. I have Odcdm. Mayfair 'Golden Gate' that I have had for years. It was badly sunburned several years ago (got left out in direct sun by my son who was caring for all the orchids at the time), and is just now starting to look better. It took me awhile to figure out that these guys don't like to dry out, but once I got the watering down it started perking up (you'll know they are too dry if the leaves pleat up as they try and emerge from the new growth). Anyway, I have two nice new big Pbulbs with long green leaves. It's in an 8" pot and has probably a dozen Pbulbs in the pot. Some are original and still look pretty good. They lost their leaves long ago but the bulbs themselves still look great. I'm hoping it will bloom someday soon...maybe this fall.

[Niki]

Terri,

Thanks for all the info. I have another question for you...how often do you end up watering yours? I was watering once a week, but it was drying out between waterings (which I read isn't good for them) and I noticed the smaller blubs were looking shriveled (which I read wasn't good) so I'm watching to see what it's looking dryer (but not dried out, which I read was bad)...seems like twice a week is keeping it not dried out, but not waterlogged (I have it someplace where after I water it, the water can run off and not collect).

Also, do you fertilize yours? If so, how often and with what type?

Thanks,

Niki

[quiltergal]

The big one I mentioned above is planted in CHC/perlite/charcoal. That mix will hold a fair amount of water especially in a large pot. I only water that one once a week, and fertilize weekly with Greencare MSU fertilizer at 125 ppm N.

I have two others that I recently moved to S/H. They have really perked up but I find with them I have to water twice a week. The reservoirs are ususally empty by Wed. or Thurs.

I water everything on Sunday morning. All my chids get a weekly watering with MSU at 125 ppm, and are doing great! It's a great product, but you can only find it online. DynaGro Grow is a good substitute and readily available. I used it for a while but I'm getting better results with the MSU.

[Niki]

Terri,

First of all, what is CHC and S/H?

Secondly, do you use the MSU for tap water or for reverse osmosis?

lastly, thanks for the info. I'll start with the DynaGro while waiting for the MSU to arrive.

For re-potting these guys, when do you suggest doing that? My just finished blooming and the leaves are obviously dying. New growth has started on the (fourth) psuedo bulb. I'm not sure how fast these guys grow, and don't know if I should wait until the roots are more crowded before repotting (I've heard orchid roots like to be crowded).

Thanks again!

Niki

[(..._...)]

Hi! I just recieved this plant online a few weeks ago.

I have mine in sphag moss (re-potted myself), and let it get almost, but not completely dry.

oh.. anyone else here could also help me with an issue i seem to have: this orchid's leaves tend to curl at the end. This also happened to my odontocidium hans isler. Is this due to drying out in between watering, or lack of humidity when it changes environment?

Thanks
Cam